Dental sprayers or atomizers



p 9, 1967 H. FREEDMAN 3,342,178

DENTAL SPRAYERS OR ATOMIZERS Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVETOR. ee man Sept. 19, 196 7 H. FREEDMAN 3,342,178

DENTAL SPRAYERS OR ATOMIZERS Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

INVENTOR re edman United States Patent 3,342,178 DENTAL SPRAYERS 0RATOMIZERS Hyman Freedman, 200 W. 58th St., New York, N.Y. 10019 FiledNov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,206 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-1731) This inventionrelates to Sprayers or atomizers and particularly those of the type usedin dental work such as those disclosed for example, in my Patent No.3,001,288 and in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 398,197.

It is an object of the invention to provide an atomizer or sprayer whichcan be used in conjunction with a dental mirror, and by which anintermittent or interrupted spraying is automatically obtained withoutrequiring effort on the part of the operator. It is an object of theinvention to provide a novel form of water supply receptacle for thesprayer; which receptacle will be unbreakable and which will avoid thespilling out of its liquid contents when the sprayer is tilted or turnedupside down.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel form of mirrormounting on the sprayer and by which the mirror will be firmlymaintained in the required position yet readily released forrepositioning or removal when desired, and it is an object of theinvention to provide a simple and effective heating or sterilizingdevice for the sprayer.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I havedevised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sprayer or atomizer constructedaccording to the invention and to which a dental mirror is attached;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of the sprayer;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mirror with the cone removedfrom the stem and shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG.2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the mirror holder, showingthe cone fitted therein;

FIG. 6 is a view of one end of the mirror stem showing a different typeof coupling element mounted thereon;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of FIG.8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the sprayer with aportion of the liquid-supply bag shown in section;

FIG. 10 shows how the liquid-supply bag tends to hang vertically whenthe sprayer is tilted or turned upside down;

FIG. 11 shows how the bag is threadably attached to the spray head ormanifold;

FIG. 12 shows a construction in which a water-supply bottle is attachedto the spray head by means of a balland-socket 0r universal joint;

FIG. 13 shows the plug by which the spray tubes are coupled to the sprayhead or manifold;

FIG. 14 is a view as seen from the forward end of the spray head, and

FIG. 15 shows a form of heating or sterilizing means for the sprayer.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10,there is therein shown a sprayer or atomizer and attached mirror ofgenerally known type adapted for dental use and which includes a head ormanifold 1 to which is detachably coupled a liquid or watersupplyreceptacle 2. At 3 is shown a water siphoning tube which communicates inthe known manner with a passage extending through the head 1, saidpassage being in communication with a flexible suction tube 4 extendingdownwardly from the head 1 and entering into the water-supply receptacle2 as clearly shown in FIG. 9.

The liquid or water-supply receptacle 2, in the form shown in FIGS. 9and 10, consists of a thin, bladder-like flexible bag which can becomposed of rubber, plastic, or other suitable flexible and watertightmaterial. It is attached at its mouth to an internally threaded collaror coupling ring 5 to enable it to be threadably coupled to the threadednipple 6 on the lower part of the head 1. A washer 7 (FIG. 1) may beused in the joint between the sleeve 5 and the shoulder 8 on the sprayhead 1. The material of which the bag 2 is made is shatterproof asdistinguished from the glass bottles generally used on atomizers of thiskind.

The tube shown at 9 constitutes an air-supply tube, and it communicatesin the known manner with an air passage extending through the head 1,such passages being connected to an air-supply hose 10 extending fromthe rear end of the head 1 and connected to a suitable source of airunder pressure. At their forward ends, the water tube 3 and the air tube9 are connected into a spray head or nozzle 11. Said nozzle may, ifdesired, be constructed in the manner shown in my Patent No. 3,001,288wherein the nozzle has a forwardly-directed nozzle portion 12 providedwith a spray outlet 113. The nozzle is also provided with a spray outlet14 directed upwardly toward the dental mirror 15. The spray outlet 13thus directs a water spray toward the tooth being operated] on, while aspray from outlet 14 is directed toward the mirror 15 to cleanse thesame. The forward ends of the tubes 3 and 9 are connected into thenozzle 11 in such a manner that the water or other liquid 50 is siphonedfrom the bag 2 and sprayed from the outlets 13 and 14.

The spray device or atomizer can, if desired, include a lamp locatedadjacent to the mirror in the manner disclosed, for example, in myco-pending patent application No. 398,197, such lamp being omitted fromthe present disclosure to facilitate and more clearly show the featuresof the present invention.

The water tube 3 is provided near its forward end with a vent hole 16extending through its wall and said hole is normally closed by means ofa valve 17 which, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, consists of a U-shapedplate straddling the water tube 3 over the hole 16. The valve 17 has nosealing lining and thus establishes a metal-tometal contact with thesurface of the tube 3.

The valve 17 is formed on or attached to the upper end of a blade orleaf 18 of a flexible or springy nature, attached at its lower end byscrew 19 to a clamp 20 embracing the tubes 3 and 9. This arrangement issuch that the springiness of the blade or leaf 18 tends to normally holdthe valve 17 in closed position over the hole 16 to thereby close thesame and permit the flow of water through the tube 3 to be sprayed bythe siphoning action of the air through the tube 9. The springiness ofthe blade 18 is such that it permits the valve to act as a flutter valveand to vibrate constantly from closed to open position as the waterflows through the tube 3, thus causing the valve 17 to repeatedly andrapidly open and close whereby the spray through the outlets 13 and 14will be intermittent. This effect is greatly desirable for it enablesthe operator to inspect the work during the skips in the spraying,during which skips the valve is open. The valve thus vibrates inoperation, automatically causing a constant repeated interruptedspraying action.

The tubes 3 and 9 are connected at their rear ends into a connectionplug 29 clearly shown in FIG. 13. The plug 29 has a tapered portion 21frictionally fitted into an opening 22 in the forward portion 26 of thespray head 1. Near one end, the plug is formed with an annular groove 23and near its opposite end beyond the tapered part 21 of the plug thereis formed another annular groove, shown at 24. Said groove isinterrupted to form a lateral passage 25.

The coupling of the spray tubes to the head 1 by means of a tapered plugis known. However, such coupling as presently employed, sometimespermits the spraying unit, consisting of the tubes and spray nozzle andthe mirror carried by the tubes to become inadvertently detached orseparated from the head 1 during the use or handling of the sprayer. Afeature of the present invention resides in the provision of means bywhich the inadvertent separation of the spray unit from the head 1 willbe prevented.

Provided on the forward end of the extension 26 of the head 1 is anupturned lip 27 shaped to permit it to enter into the groove 24 by wayof the lateral passage 25. When the plug is inserted in the opening 22and is rotated to cause it to become disaligned from the passage 25, alocking effect between the lip 27 and the groove 24 is secured and theplug 20 cannot then be withdrawn from the opening 22. The passage 25 isso positioned on the plug that when it is registered with the lip 27 topermit the plug to be either inserted or withdrawn, the spray unit willbe located in a position which it seldom if ever requires during thespraying operation.

The mirror 15 is provided with a stem 28 having its free end formed withthe threads 29, Threadably adjustable on said threaded area of the stemis a cone 30, said cone being internally threaded at 31 to enable it tobe received on the threads 29 on the stem 28.

At 32 is shown the mirror holder which consists of a sleeve formed ormounted on the leaf 18. Said sleeve is provided with a conical opening33 extending through it and into which the cone 30 on the end of thestem 28 is received. The mirror is, in this embodiment of the invention,fitted on the sprayer by having its stem passed through the conicalopening 22 to an extent to cause the threaded end of the stem to projectbeyond the holder 32 at the rear thereof. The cone 30 is then threadedon the threaded part of the stem. Then the mirror is pulled forwardly,or upwardly as viewed in FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrow therein, thuscausing the cone to enter into the opening 33 and wedge itself thereinwith sufiicient force to hold the mirror against both rotative and axialmovement. Rotative adjustment of the mirror is attained by pushing themirror backwardly or opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow inFIG. 1, until the cone 30 is moved out of the conical opening 33. Themirror can then be adjusted to the required angle and then become fixedby pulling it forwardly to cause the cone to become wedged in theconical opening 33.

Since the mirror is attached to the valve spring 18, it will be obviousthat the valve can be opened at any time by pressing the mirror againstthe teeth or gums of the patient. This is described in detail in myco-pending application Ser. No. 398,197.

Another means for attaching the mirror is disclosed in FIGS. 6 to 8inclusive. Therein the threaded end portion 29 of the stem 28 threadablyreceives an internally threaded sleeve 35, formed on its peripheralsurface with a pair of diametrically opposite, longitudinally extendingribs 36. The sleeve 35, when threadably mounted on the stem 28, isadapted to be received in a mirror holder 37 in the form of a tubemounted in place of the holder 32 on the spring 18. When the sleeve 35is inserted into the tube 37 the ribs 36 will enter into and engageslots 38 in the tube with a snap action, thus holding the mirror againstdisplacement but permitting it to be withdrawn when desired by theapplication of suflicient force imposed on it to spring the ribs out ofthe slots 38.

The water supply bag shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, being of bladder-like formand composed of thin, very flexible material, has a number ofsubstantial advantages. Most sprayers or atomizers of this type employ aglass water bottle and they often leak at the joint between the waterbottle and head particularly when the sprayer is used in a tilted orupside down position. When the present sprayer is tilted or turnedupside down as indicated in FIG. 10, the bag 2 will swing down in thedirection of the arrow in FIG. 10, to a substantially vertical positionso that no spilling of the contents will occur. Since the siphon tube 4is also composed of a soft and flexible material it will flex along withthe bag 2 without collapsing or causing interruption of the water flow.The bag can also be used as a shut-ofl. valve for controlling the waterflow by merely pinching the bag in its neck portion between the fingerswhile similarly closing the tube 4.

A possible alternative for the flexible bag 2 is shown in FIG. 12wherein a conventional water bottle 40 is provided with a closure cap 44threaded on it or otherwise detachably secured on the top of the bottle.Said cap includes a spherical socket member 42 which receives a ball 43provided on a sleeve 44 threadably received on the threaded nipple 6 ofthe head 1. This arrangement, while not permitting complete upside downpositioning of the atomizer while the bottle is held vertically,provides for the use of the atomizer at various angles without spillageof the bottle contents. Other forms of universal connection between thebottle and the spray head are possible.

For maintaining the sprayer and its liquid warm or at elevatedtemperature, the arrangement shown in FIG. 15 can be used. Saidarrangement employs a heating coil 45 which can be of the type known asan immersion heater. The heater 45 may be suitably mounted on anyconvenient support handy to the operator and when the sprayer isinserted within the coil of the heat, the heat generated by the heaterwill be transmitted to the tubes 3 and 9 and other adjacent parts of thesprayer including the liquid contents of the bag 2 to warmthe same. Ifdesired, by voltage regulation, the temperature can be controlled foreither merely heating the sprayer or else for sterilizing the same.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto but is broadenough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. An atomizer comprising, an air supply tube and a water supply tube, aspray nozzle to which the tubes are connected, the water supply tubehaving a vent opening, a valve attached to the tubes and normallyclosing the vent opening, said valve being a springy element mounted toenable it to repeatedly open and close with a fluttering action underthe pressure of the water passing through the water tube toward thespray nozzle thereby causing intermittent interruption of the sprayemanating from the nozzle.

2. An atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the valve consists of aspring-mounted metallic plate partly embracing the water tube over thevent opening therein and establishing a metal-to-metal contacttherewith.

3. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror comprising, asprayer, a valve support carried thereon, a dental mirror having a stem,a socket mounted on the valve support, said socket having a conicalopening extending through it, a cone fitted at one end of the stem andattached thereto, the cone being fitted in the conical opening with awedglng fit therein to thereby attach the mirror to the socket.

4. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror as provided forin claim 3, wherein the cone fitted on the stem and attached thereto isentered into the conical 1) opening from the rear thereof to attain thewedging fit between the cone and said opening.

5. An atomizer for dental mirrors comprising, a water supply tube, aspringy leaf type flutter valve operative over an opening in the supplytube, a mirror holder on the valve, a mirror having a stem provided witha threaded end, a threaded sleeve fitted on said threaded end, thesleeve being fitted within the holder and the sleeve and holder havingco-operating means for holding the sleeve for axial displacement out ofthe holder during the normal use of the mirror.

6. An atomizer for dental mirrors according to claim 5, wherein theco-operating means on the sleeve and holder are radial ribs on thesleeve and slots in the walls of the holder with which the ribs engage.

7. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror, a spray nozzlefor ejecting a fluid toward the mirror, a fluid supply tube connected tothe spray nozzle, said tube having a vent opening, a valve bladeattached to the tube and movable to cover or uncover the vent opening, amirror holder carried by the blade, said mirror holder having a conicalopening extending through it, a mirror having a stem provided with athreaded end, a cone fitted threadably on said end, said cone beingreceived in the conical opening with a wedging fit to thereby attach thestem to the holder.

8. An atomizer according to claim 7, wherein the valve blade is aflutter valve operative on the tube for securing automatic intermittentspraying, the cone being freed from the conical opening by being forced.rearwardly out of the said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,550 10/1916 Brush 128--111,738,863 12/1929 Bragdon 239347 1,915,490 6/1933 Gere 251337 3,027,6444/ 1962 Piseitelli 32-69 3,091,405 5/1963 Knapp et al. 239-453 20RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

I. W. HINEY, JR., Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ATOMIZER COMPRISING AN AIR SUPPLY TUBE AND A WATER SUPPLY TUBE, ASPRAY NOZZLE TO WHICH THE TUBES ARE CONNECTED, THE WATER SUPPLY TUBEHAVING A VENT OPENING, A VALVE ATTACHED TO THE TUBE AND NORMALLY CLOSINGTHE VENT OPENING, SAID VALVE BEING A SPRING ELEMENT MOUNTED TO ENABLE ITTO REPEATEDLY OPEN AND CLOSE WITH A FLUTTERING ACTION UNDER THE PRESSUREOF THE WATER PASSING THROUGH THE WATER TUBE TOWARD THE SPRAY NOZZLETHEREBY CAUSING INTERMITTENT INTERRUPTION OF THE SPRAY EMANATING FROMTHE NOZZLE.